The Andhra Pradesh police on Sunday arrested a person from the film industry for leaking the yet to be released film—Geetha Govindam, starring actor Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna.
According to the police, the arrested person, Padavala Rajesh, a native of Chirala in Prakasam district, working as an administrator in Data Digital Bank in Hyderabad, a firm associated with the film industry.
The accused had allegedly illegally copied the footage of the film and shared it among his relatives who are students of KL University. These relatives in return allegedly shared it among their friends.
However, after learning about the leak, the producers of Geetha Govindam, Geeta Arts, filed a case with the cyber crime police. Guntur Superintendent of police, Ch Vijaya Rao told the media, that Rajesh had shared the film with his relatives, Vandana and Jayanth.
Jayanth later allegedly shared the same among his friends through pen drive, laptop and mobile phone. After inquiry, the police traced down the culprit in Hyderabad, reported Deccan Chronicle.
Dejected with the leak, actor Vijay Deverakonda tweeted, “I feel let down, disappointed, hurt. At times I feel angry, and at feel like crying.”
I feel let down, disappointed, hurt.
— Vijay Deverakonda (@TheDeverakonda) August 12, 2018
Okka sari kopam osthundi, inko sari edupostundi.
Telugu Producer Srinivas, the producer of Taxiwala, another film starring Vijay Deverakonda also condemned the incident in a series of tweets.
“17 students in Guntur & Editor in Hyderabad got arrested for circulating raw footage FEW films under shooting, the editor arrested for data stealing & circulation more arrests gonna happen as Cyber crime police working hard in both states considering this as serious offence,” (sic).
“Whoever circulate piracy clips of films on their social media, all of their accounts will be traced, blocked & they ll be punished according law, this is SERIOUS notice pls don’t spoil your careers & don’t try to spoil film makers career & their efforts and money(sic),” he added in another tweet.
Geetha Govindam is touted to be a rom-com produced by GA2 pictures.
The film’s 'Inkem Inkem Kavale' song, sung by Sriram has already turned into chart buster. Music for the film is by Gopi Sunder. The film will be released on August 15.